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' (No Model.)

` S. H. HUBBKARD WILLIAMSON.

BUSTL'B.

Patented Nov. 8, .1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHERMAN H. HUBBARD AND SAMUEL S. WILLIAMSON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THOMAS P. TAYLOR, OF SAME PLACE.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372.801l dated November 8, 1887.

Application iiled August 25, 1887. Serial No. 247,833. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, SHERMAN H. HUBBARD and SAMUEL S. WILLIAMSON, citizens Vof the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustles; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bustles, and has for its object to somewhat vary the construction shown and described in a certain application made by us and bearing Serial No. 247,832, and date of filing August 25, 1887, but without departing from the general underlying torsional principle which was embodied in that application.

With this end in view our invention' consists in the cheap and simple combination of elements, hereinafter to be set' forth, and then recited inthe claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which our invention appertains may fully understand how to make Aour improved device, we will describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of a bustle made in accordance with our invention; Fig. 2, a perspective of the spring detached from the bustle and in its collapsed position, and Fig. 3 a slightlymodified construction of spring.

Similar numbers indicate like parts in all figures.

1 are the side stays, and 2 the distendingbows hinged to the stays and capable of an upward swinging movement. A check-tape, 3, connects thedistendingbows, and its upper end is properly secured to any ordinary belt or waistband, 4.

The bow-actuating device consists of the vertical wires 5 6, which are bent at 7 8 across, each toward the other, and each having thereon an eye, 9, through which the other freely passes. From the eyes the wire is extended outward and around, to form the hoop 10,v

whose normal position is substantially at right angles to the vertical wires. A lacing-cord, 11, connects the eyes 9, and may be used to vary their adjustment toward and from each other, which, as will be readily understood, will vary the distance between the vertical wires, and thereby the width of the bustle.

The vertical side wires we prefer to incorporate into the side stays, thereby dispensing with any additional stiffening device therefor.

The hoop 10 preferably serves as the bottom distending-bow, and is suitably connected to the check-tape. In the modification, Fig. 3, the transverse wires are shortened nearly one-half and the hoop narrowed into a spring member, 12, whose extremity is adapted to be attached to the check-tape or the bottom distending-bow. Theside Wires can be curved over and joined as to their tops, as seen at Fig. 3, if desired. In'that case they are independent of the side stays.

When the wearer seats herself, the bows and spring-hoop are turned upward toward the body,and thereby an axial torsional strain is imparted to the two transverse cross-wires 7 8. Upon rising this torsicnalspring-act-ion returns the bow and distending-hoops downward and outward to their normal position beneath the draperies of the dress.

We claim as of our inventionl. A spring for bustles ahd analogous articles, the same consisting of two vertical and parallel side wires, two transverse and parallel spring-wires, each passing through an eye upon the other, and a bow extending outward substantially at right angles to the vertical wires and joined to the transverse wires at or near the eyes, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the waistband, the check-tape, and the distending-hoops of a bustle, ofthe two vertical and parallel side wires, the two transverse and parallel springwires, each provided with an eye through which the other passes, the rearwardly-extend. ing bow joining the transverse spring-wires at or near the eyes, and means, as a lacingcord, for controlling and varying the position of the eyes relative to each other and thereby controlling the width of the bustle, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses. i

SHERMAN H. HUBBARD. SAMUEL S. WILLIAMSON. Witnesses:

E. S. BANKS, WINTHROP H. PERRY.

IOO 

